Improvement in mail-bags



A. CALL. Mail-Bag.

No. 201,l56. Patented March 12, 1878.

Fig-3- fTTEST= N-?ETERS, FHOTO-LITHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED S'I'A'I'ES- PATENT. OFFICE.

ALBERTCALL, or SANTA FE, TERRITORY-on new MEXICO, ASSIGNOR or. ONE-HALF HlS RlGHT TO DAVID 'J. MILLER, or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL- BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters latent No. 201,156, dated March 12, 1878 application filed December 4, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT CALL, of Santa F, in the county of Santa Fe and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain Improvements in Mail-Bags and receptacles of a similar character, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates most especially to mail-bags, but may also be used on all bags and satchels having metallic hinged frames.

My improvement consists in an improved means of holding open the j aws of bags or satchels made of flexible material; also,in improved double fastenings employed in connection with the said opening detent device, the said double fastenings being actuated simultaneously by one key.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aplan, showing the bag open, and. Fig. 2 is a transverse sec tional view taken in the plane of the line a; a: in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 represent modifications of the detent device for holding the bag open.

A represents a bag or receptacle made of any suitable material, provided at its mouth with metallic jaws B B, hinged together at a a in the usual way.

So far as above described, there is nothing essentially novel in the construction of the bag.

The jaw B is provided with a lock arranged within the cavity of the same, and covered by a plate. A portion of this plate is removed in Fig. 1 to show the details of the fastening. An oscillating bar, plate, or disk, 0, has bearings in the jaw-frame, and is engaged by the lockingkey so as to be rotated or oscillated by the same. To this disk are loosely pivoted or otherwise attached two bolts, D D, arranged to play longitudinally in guides when the disk is rotated. The beveled extremities of these bolts appear at openings 1) b in the covering-plate. This bevel is given them to enable eyes or other equivalent catching dew'ces E E on the frame B to wipe into the openings 1) b when the bag is closed by pushing back the bolts. A spring, 0, engages a pin on the plate 0, or otherwise acts upon it, in such a manner as to keep the bolts thrown habitually forward, so that they obstruct the openings 11 b, as in Fig. 1, and after the catches E E are fairly lodged the spring throws forward the bolts to engage them and lock the bag securely. Thus, it is only necessary to bring the jaws together with moderate force to lock them automatically. The hinges a a consist each of two or more disks or disk-like extremities, d d, of the jaws B B, placed side by side, and hung on hinging-studs e e in the usual way. One of these disks is provided with a shoulder, notch, or pin, 9, arranged to engage an elastic or spring-actuated detent, h, of some kind when the bag is thrown open wide enough.

In Figs. 1 and 2 this detent device is represented as consisting of a notch in the disk and a sprin g-bolt pro vided with a disengaging knob or projection. The bolt is mounted on the opposite jaw to that having the notch with which it is to engage. When the bag is thrown open the detent engages the notch and holds it open, and it cannot be closed until the detent is drawn back.

In Fig. 3 a modification of the detent is shown which requires no explanation.

In Fig. 4 a modification of a slightly difl'erent character is shown. In this a fiat leafspring, 6, is arranged to wipe into a notch or under a shoulder in or on the face of the disk at. Other detents of a similar kind might be used; but I prefer those shown.

The bag may be provided with a spring, arranged so as to keep it habitually closed except when forcibly opened against the power of the spring; but this forms no part of my present invention.

The lock of the bag may be provided with tumblers and other complex devices, to prevent its being picked readily; but these are common to most locks, and form no part of my present invention. The key, however, must be constructed so that it will engage the disk'or plate 0 and operate the bolts simultaneously, as well as engage the tumblers of the lock.

I am aware that trunks have been provided with ratchet-bars and like devices for supporting the lids when open, and that satchels have been provided with duplicate fastenings actuatecl simultaneously by one central key; and I make no claim to these devices.

I clain1-- 1. A bag or satchel, A, of flexible material,

having hinged jaws B B, provided with means i for keepin g the jaws open, consisting of notches or depressions in the cheeks of the hinges attached to or forming a part of one jaw, and a spring-detent on the other jaw to engage the same, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a bag or satchel, A, of flexible material, provided with a detent device, forming a part of ALBERT CALL.

Witnesses:

WILL. M. TIPTON, J NO. R. WALLINGFORD, WM. H. MANDERFIELD. 

